Beledweyne city, Thursday, October 3, 2024: Two- day capacity building training for journalists, police , judiciary and CSO on human rights monitoring, reporting and freedom of expression has been held in Beleweyne city, Hiran region of Hirshabelle State from 1st to 2nd October 2024.
The training workshop held at Hotel Jazeera at Beledweyne city , Hiran region has been implemented by the Somali Media Association (SOMA) in partnership with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)
Fifteen journalists have participated the day one of the training workshop, while members from the police, judiciary and the civil society has taken part in the day two of the training program.
The main purpose of the capacity building program is to improve the capacity of the local reporters, police, judiciary and CSO on human rights monitoring, reporting and freedom of expression.
The training workshop was also intending to train journalists, police, judiciary and civil society members on freedom of expressions and human rights monitoring, and reporting which will be used to inform advocacy with authorities in Hirshabelle State.
During the training sessions the participants were provided with an overview of the international and regional level framework sustaining the right to freedom of expression, access to information and the safety of journalists and human rights on thematic areas.
The journalists, judiciary, police officers and CSO were informed to strengthen and increase the relationship between the journalists, security agencies and CSO to improve the safety of journalists, freedom of expression and public security and order.
The capacity-building program was also aimed at creating effective professional relationships between the journalists, judiciary, the police force and CSO to achieve a better environment for freedom of expression for all the public as well.
In his opening speech, Mohamed Osman Makaran, Secretary-General of the Somali Media Association (SOMA) said “The training workshop is intended to establish improved better understanding between the journalists, judiciary, the police and CSOs to facilitate improvement to remove mistrust to establish a conducive environment to the safety of journalists, access of information, freedom of expression, monitoring human rights, reporting and public order.”
During the 2 – day training sessions, the participants were taken through the thematic topics on how to communicate with the media, operational safety procedures when dealing with journalists and human rights monitoring, reporting and freedom of expression, and ensuring the journalists can access the information they need to report to the public.
Moreover, the participants were given an opportunity to learn more about how to build close local cooperation and support for rights protection and to target critical mass of key people with influence to change legislation or policies that enhance human rights protection.
The other main themes covered in the training sessions included strengthening capacity of Journalists on human rights monitoring, reporting and freedom of expressions and advocate against violations of international human rights standards and humanitarian laws by parties to the conflict in HirShabelle State of Somalia.
The participants have recommended that security agencies and the media should have close cooperation and any complaint against the journalists and the media should be passed through the legal process.
“We appreciate SOMA and UNSOM for undertaking this type of training program in Beledweyne city, Hiran region. I would like to suggest similar capacity-building programs be maintained to eventually achieve improvement for human rights monitoring, reporting and freedom of expression in Hirshabelle State.” Abdimajid Sheikh Nuuriyow , Deputy Governor of Hiran Region said in his closing remarks.
At that stage, the two- day capacity building training workshop program conducted by SOMA with the support of UNSOM has been concluded.
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